Diversity of Lifeways in Early Antillean Societies: A Multi-Isotope Approach.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

In this paper, we sought to examine whether people with different lifeways, as evidenced by their mobility patterns and dietary practices, inhabited the Antilles in early precolonial time. We also aimed to explore spatiotemporal trends.

Materials and methods

New and previously published enamel strontium, oxygen, and carbon isotope data were combined with bone apatite carbon and bone collagen carbon and nitrogen isotope data to assess the mobility and diet of 146 individuals from eight early precolonial sites from Cuba.

Results

At least three patterns of mobility, associated with different dietary signals, were identified. In contrast with the low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and δ¹³C_en variability found in Canímar Abajo (CA) between

SUBMITTER: Chinique de Armas Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12003967 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature